Several states have laws requiring purchasers of soft drinks and other beverages to pay a deposit on their containers. The deposit is refunded when the purchaser returns the container to the store of purchase. It is economically sensible, therefore, for the consumer to store and return empty containers.
Many people store emptied containers in paper bags. Quite often not all of the contents of each container are drained and it sometimes happens that the partially emptied containers will be overturned in the bag causing the bottom of the bag to become saturated and weakened with the result that lifting of the bag may cause it to break, scattering the contents.
Some persons store empty containers in plastic, moisture proof bags to prevent the saturation and weakening associated with paper bags. In many instances, however, the store or other recipient of empty containers will not accept plastic bags because of the difficulty and inconvenience in counting and verifying returnable containers.